livingston



(N0 Mdl.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.. J. LIVINGSTON ROLLER MILL.

Patented' Aug. 28, 1883-.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2'.

v J. LIVINGSTON.

ROLLER MILL. No. 284,135. g. Patented u 2 33 wummmw 4 int N D E N H S I; k m N no NW 1! j I P 2 .u I -d I an operatingdever secured thereto, of the feedcontrolling gates and a sliding frame connectj UN TE STATES PATENT ()FFICE,

. JOHNLIVINGSTON, or DAYTON, onro, ASSIGNOR'TO STOUT, MILLS &

TEMPLE, or sAMnrLAoE.

ROLLER-MILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No.284, 135,1dated August28, 1883..

Application filed May 29, 18852. (No model.)

i To all whom, it may concern: Beit known that 1, JOHN LIVINGSTON, acitithe figures.

zen of the UnitedStates, residing at Dayton,

in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio,

have invented certain-new and useful Improvements in Roller-Mills, of which the following is r a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to that class of rollermills for making flour known as gradualreduction mills, in which the grain is fed from a hopper to one or two pairs of differentiallyrunning grinding or crushing rolls usually I having a corrugated dress; and the novelty consists, first, in the combination, with anoscillating single through-shaft provided with ing said gates with the through-shaft,whereby the oscillation of said through-shaft causes the sliding of the frame in the line of said throughshaft and the sliding of said gates in a direction at right angles thereto; secondly,the com bination of the driving-belt and the drivingpulley with an intermediate plain-faced idlerpulley, a swiveled and verticallyadjustable stock, and an adjustable swinging hanger,

whereby said idler-pulley can be raised or lowered to regulate the tension of the belt, can be 7 I Lswungto eitherside to enable the belt to be taken on at various angles, and can be turned on the axis of its stock to insure the true running of the belt; thirdly, in details of construction and combination of the parts, as will be herewith set forth and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a side elevation of my improved roller-mill. I Fig. 2, Sheet 1, is a front or end View of the same. Fig. 3, Sheet 1, is a central sectional view, in front elevation, through the necting' mechanism. Fig. 4,,Sheet 2, is an en- 1 door.

hopper, showing the through-shaft and its conlarged sectional view, in side elevation, through the hopper, showing the through-shaft and its connecting mechanism. Fig. 5, Sheet 2, is a sectional planviewof the hopper, showing the througlrshaft and its connecting mechanism. Fig. 6, Sheet 2, is an enlarged sectional view, in side elevation, of my improved meal-chest The same letters indicate like parts in all Upon any suitable base or platform, A, are mounted and attached the vertical side frames,

B B, of cast-iron, and having any desiredconfiguratiomthough containing the essential features, to be hereinafter referred to.

, Between. the upper ends of the sides B is bolted or secured the grain hopper 0, just be neath which and extending to the base is secured the usual meal-chest, D.

In suitable boxes, E,in the frames B are and make the mill a double. mill. In order that differential speeds may be obtained for each pair of rolls, the driving-pulleys L upon the. shafts F and J, upon one side of the ma chine, are of largerdiameter than those M on the other two shafts on the opposite side of the machine, as clearly seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

So far the construction of the machine does not differ essentially from other roller-mills ofthe same class, except that great symmetry and compactness, combined with strength and,

lightness, are obtained by the particular form that I have illustrated.

The arms I, that carry and supportthe rolls K, are pivoted between lugs a, extendingfrom the frames B on eccentric pins or pivots, which are held by bolts I) and set-screws 0, so as to talre up any wear and to properly adjust the arms I vertically. About half-way between the journals and their pivotal points slots d or recesses are-formed in the inner edges of the.

arms I, into which bracketlugs e, projecting from the frames B, extend. Set-screws f,

passed through the arms I, bear against these bracket-lugs and serve to support and adjust them laterally. If desired, the positions of these bracket-lugs and the pivotal points may be reversed.

Passing centrally under the hopper-bottom from side to side is the through-shaft N, journaled in the sides B and carrying at one end a vertical hand-lever, O, which is keyed or made fast thereto, so that the movement of the lever oscillates the shaft. At each end of this throughshaft are double cams 9, either formingpart of said shaft or suitably secured thereto and in line with the arms I on both sides of the machine. Over these cams are fitted the eyes of links h. (Shown more particularly in Figs. 4 and 5, Sheet 2.) These links extend outward horizontally through apertures or bearings in the frames B toward the upper ends of each of the arms I, and have their outer ends threaded, as shown. These threaded ends pass through the ends of cylindrical drums or spring-casings c, as shown, and have followerheads j, Fig. 4, secured thereon. by nuts 70, which follower-heads fit snugly into the bore of the drums t and bear against the coiled springs Z, which are confined in said drums, as shown. The initial tension of these springs is regulated by jam-nuts m. Surrounding the spring-casings i in the plane of their axes are links or stirrups a, which may be part of said casings or-separate, as desired, and which have at their outer ends threaded apertures, into which are screwed the inner ends of link-bolts 0, which pass through the heads 19 upon the upper endsof the arms I. These bolts are directly in line with the links 71,, and have secured upon their outer ends adjusting handwheels (1, which bear against the heads 1), and they are further held, when adjusted, by hand jam-nuts .9".

By the means just described it will be seen that the arms I, which carry the rolls K, are adjustably and yieldingly united to the throughshaft N, so that by vibrating the lever 0 said arms are likewise vibrated simultaneously and made to move uniformly outward or inward. By moving the lever O in one directionsay to the left, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5-the arms are brought toward each other, and the rolls K arebrought into working position with the rolls G, and by moving the lever O to the extreme right or opposite direction the arms are simultaneously spread apart, thereby spreading apart the rolls K and G and throwing them out of working contact. By means of ,the springs z the rolls are yieldingly held together with a degree of tension which can be regulated and adjusted by the j am-nuts m, so that the passage of hard foreign substances between the rolls will cause no injury to them, as they would give and spread and immediately come back to proper working position.

Extending under the hopper-bottom, just above and parallel to the through-shaft N, is a fixed rod, 1 Figs. 3, 4, and 5, on which is hung, by lugs s, so as to be free to slide,-a frame or spider, R, having at its four outer corners pendent pins t, which fit into diagonal slots a, Fig. 5, in the horizontally-sliding cut-off gates S. These slots in each gate are parallel; but those in the one gate run in the reverse direction of those in the other, as shown, so that the sliding of the spider R in one direction causes the gates to move from each other simultaneously, and its movement in the opposite direction causes them to move toward each other simultaneously, as will be readily understood.

The hopper-bottom T, Fig. 4, is doubly inclined and U are the dischargeoutlets, regulated simultaneously by the horizontal or bottom gates, S, and separately by the usual supplemental side gates, V, which are adjusted by hand. Now, to throw open or close the gates S to let on or shut off the flow of grain to the rolls by the oscillation of the through-shaft N, I provide a segmental wing,WV, Figs. 3, 4, and 5, which is set diagonally or in the pitch of a screw upon a hub, a,which hub carrying said wing is adj ustably secured by a set-screw upon the through-shaft N, as shown, and has its rim or periphery confined between lugs I), attached to the under side of the frame It. tive adjustment of this wing and the lever O is shown clearly in Fig. 4, and the relations of the parts are such that as the lever is in its extreme position to theleft, with the rolls brought together, as before explained, the frame Rwill be at its extreme position at one side with the gates S held wide open. By reversing the lever O to its other extreme the rolls,as before explainechwill be thrown apart,

and at the same time the frame R will be made to slide by the wing W to its opposite extreme position, and will thereby spread apart the gates and cause them to close the grain-outlets completely. Thus by a single movement of the hand-lever both these results are simultaneously effected without lost motion in the connection between the parts by the simplest mechanism and in the most positive manner.

As an equivalent, in place of the wing W a The relathread with proper pitch might be made upon the through-shaft N, which could engage with a nut or female screw upon the under side of the frame R.

Y Y are the usual feed-rolls arranged in suit able journalsunder grain-outlets, and whose office is to guide the grain properly to the grinding or crushing rolls.

Only two belts are usedone on each side of the machinet0 drive the four grinding or crushing rolls, and consequently idler-pulleys are necessary. These are shown at A on each side of the machine, between and under the pulleys L and M. They are supported in ad justablehangers, each consisting of a frame, B, pivoted at 0, Fig. 1, to the frames B, and ad i swinging door j, having side flanges, k, to prejustably clamped thereto by a bolt or set- I working on a threaded portion of the stockstein or swivel.

screw,.d, passed through a segmental slot, 6, and carrying at its lower end a longitudinally adjustable and swiveling stock, 0, in which the idler-pulley A is j ournaled, and which can beraised or lowered by the hand-wheel f,

I threefold adjustmentviz avertica'l adjustment to tighten the belts, a lateral adjustment to enable the belts tobe taken onto the machine from various angles of inclination, and

. thus be in a measure independent of the position of the driving line-shaft, and a swiveling adjustment in the hanger to guide the belts f properly on the pulleys L and M. This latter adjustment is very important, as in practice; it is found that belts sometimes have a tendi ency to run to, one or the other side of the pulley, even withthe greatest care in setting, es-

. peoially where the belt runs over more than two pulleys; but by this swiveling adjustment of the idler-pulley this tendency to run to the side can be instantly corrected and the belts a be made to run true.

In machines of this class it is desirable from time to time to inspect and feel the middlings as they leave the grinding or crushing rolls,

and for that purpose doors are formed in the meal-chest, which can be opened downward and constitute shelves on which to place the meal. To avoid trouble in placing the-meal thus withdrawn back into the chest without wasting it, I have provided the door illus- 3 trated in Figs. 2 and 6. It consists of a frame,

D, set into the meal-chest, in the lower part of which is hung, on trunnions i,'the outwardlyvent themeal from falling or being blown off.

Laterally-projecting pins Z upon the outer a sides of the flanges 7c rest against the doorframe when the door is opened to its farthest extent, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 6,

and serve to hold the door. horizontally. To

prevent the meal from possibly wasting or getting out when'the door containing it is closed, I form a ledge or flange, m, which takes over the lower edge of the door-frame, and so makes a tight joint.

I do not claim the simultaneous operation t t of the gates and the rolls by means of a single movement or with a single'lever connected to a through-shaft; nor do I claim the divided to either side to. enable the belt to be taken on connecting-rods with interposed spring-connections.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim- 1. In a roller-mill, the combination,with an oscillating single through-shaft provided with an operating-lever secured thereto, of the feedcontrolling gates, and a sliding frame connecting said gates with the through-shaft, whereby the oscillation of said through-shaft causes the sliding of the frame in the line of said throughshaft, and the sliding of said gates in a direction at right angles thereto, substantially as described. I 7c 2. In a rollermill, the graincontrolling gates S, having diagonal slots at, in combination with the sliding frame R, wing W, or eq uivalent device, and through-shaft N, substantially as described. 7

3. In a roller-mill, the combination of the driving-belt and the driving-pul1eys with the intermediate plain-faced idler-pulley, the swiveled and vertically-adjustable stock, and an adjustable swinging hanger, substantially as described, whereby the intermediate plainfaced idler-pulley can be raised or lowered to regulate the tension of the belt, can be swung at various angles, and can be turned on the axis of its stock to insure the true running of the belt, as set forth. I

4. In combination with the meal-chest, the outward-swinging meal-chest door j, provided I with side flanges, 7c, stop-pins Z, and ledge or .90 flange m, substantially as and for the purpose specified. 5. The combination,withthe supported sliding frame R and gates S, of the through-shaft N, provided with an adjustable pitched segment-wing,W,whose edgeis confined between lugs pendent from the frame R, whereby the oscillation of the through-shaft causes the frame R to slide 'on its supports without lost motion, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the adjustable rollsupports I and the pivots upon which they are mounted,of the lugs c, projecting from the frame, and the adjusting-screwsf, co-operating with the lugs, whereby the rollsupports are prevented from displacement bylateral strains by means independent of their pivot-connections, substantially as describe i :I-

' JOHN LIVINGSTON.

Witnesses:

HENRY J. GILBERT, D. F. MILLS. 

